On November 23, Japan’s Defense Minister Shinjirō Koizumi inspected the Ground Self-Defense Force (GSDF) base on Yonaguni Island and the base on Ishigaki Island in Okinawa Prefecture.
Yonaguni Island, Japan’s westernmost region, lies only 110 km from Taiwan. The GSDF plans to deploy next year an anti-air electronic warfare unit—intended to jam hostile aircraft radar—at the Yonaguni base, expand a defense posture centered on monitoring surrounding air and sea areas, and, in the long term, deploy a surface-to-air missile unit along with Type 03 medium-range surface-to-air guided missiles.
Regarding this, Koizumi told reporters that “through such deployments, we can lower the very possibility of an armed attack on Japan.” Concerning the specific timing of the deployment of the surface-to-air missile unit, he responded only that “preparations are steadily underway.”
The Ishigaki base is currently the missile base closest to Taiwan, with Type 03 medium-range surface-to-air guided missiles and Type 12 surface-to-ship guided missiles, which can target enemy vessels, already deployed there.
It is also a site for joint US–Japan training; in the US–Japan joint exercise held in September, the US military conducted training involving the new missile system “Nemesis.”
Just ten years ago, Japan had no Self-Defense Force units in the southwestern region other than on Okinawa’s main island, but it has since expanded its footholds by establishing bases on Yonaguni (2016), Miyako (2019), and Ishigaki (2023).
After inspecting Ishigaki Island, Koizumi stated that “strengthening Japan’s defense posture, including in the southwest region, is an urgent task,” arguing that the deployment of SDF units, improvement of facilities, and joint US–Japan training must be steadily pursued.
Meanwhile, the Japanese government is currently promoting its “Southwest Shift” policy, aimed at reinforcing SDF capabilities in light of China’s maritime expansion and a potential Taiwan contingency.
